Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

 

“I won’t describe what I look like.  Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”

                This quote is spoken by the narrator who is also the main character, August

Pullman, an eleven year old, fifth grader in the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio.  What struck

me as a major theme in this book is August’s struggle to be accepted and loved despite his

physical differences in the community of his peers who are middle schoolers faced with their

own social challenges and peer pressure to accept a boy with extreme facial deformity.

                R.J. Palacio allows us to understand different characters perspective and feelings

for August by switching narrators throughout the book including his sister, his mom, his best

friend, his dad, his classmate and others.  The characters perspective come together to

form a picture of this community’s struggle with empathy, compassion and finally

acceptance.

                I’ve read other books about middle schoolers who had a difficult time fitting in

because they were different, such as the character Joe in both The Misfits and Totally Joe

by James Howe and Melody in Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, and though these

characters’ struggle for acceptance was great, none of them reached the depths of pain that

I felt for the character August Pullman.  What comes through is that those people that allow

themselves the chance to get close to Auggie and to get beyond the gruesome deformity in

his face, find a bright, funny, warm and caring person who impacts their life in a very

positive way.  Every middle schooler should read this book as it will make them think about

being a better person to those around them who may not fit in with the norm and how those

people should be treated.